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Welcome to my personal website. I am Mesfin Belachew Tefera. This website serves as a platform for me to share my own research interests, problems, and findings, as well as the results of any side projects I may be working on. The website also lists the things I’m working on in parallel, such as programming, making instructional videos, creating mobile apps, etc.

I earned my PhD in computer science from Bombay University in India and conducted my research at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research completing in 2004. Previously, I graduated from Germany’s Ilmenau University of Technology in 1990 with an MSc and BSc in Computer Technology/Engineering. I have more than ten years of industry expertise in a variety of ICT jobs, including ICT system creation and programming, ICT system implementation, IT project management, infrastructure deployment, portal/web construction and hosting, and the implementation of electronic services.

I worked as a lecturer, senior lecturer, and assistant professor for more than 15 years at Unity University and Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia. In addition, I work as a researcher and adjunct lecturer at HiLCoE School of Computer Science & Technology and Addis Ababa University. I also gained leadership experience while serving as the dean of the faculty and head of the department at Bahir Dar and Unity Universities, as well as the deputy director general at the former Ethiopian ICT Development Agency, the director at the early Ethiopian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT), the director for ICT Services at the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), and the director for ICT at Orchid Business Group PLC.

Additionally, from 2011 to January 2017 I was a member of the board of directors for Ethiotelecom, and from 2008 to December 2018 I was a member of the board of directors for the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.

I’ve been employed by the Ethiopian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) for more than ten years as the Director of the Electronic Government Directorate and the Technical Advisor to the Minister of MCIT. The old Ethiopian Information & Communication Technology Development Agency (EITCDA) hired me to serve as deputy director general, where I spent more than two years.

I am currently working as Project Management Unit (PMU) coordinator at the National ID Program (NIDP). The Ethiopia Digital ID for Inclusion and Services Project is a 350 million USD project sponsored by the World Bank  for the next five years. Prior to this assignment, I was a Digital Development Consultant working with the World Bank, Addis Ababa Office, on Short Term Consultant (STC) capacity since Jan 2023. I am also an Assistant Professor at HiLCoE, School Of Computer Science & Technology teaching, researching,  and advising postgraduate students.  Before these assignments, I was a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) coordinator for Ethiopia Digital Foundation Project (EDFP) since August 1, 2021. EDFP (200 million USD World Bank project) is intended to lay the building blocks to develop Ethiopia’s digital economy through support to the policy and regulatory environment, improving infrastructure and quality of broadband connectivity and support the digitalization of services, and promote digital entrepreneurship. Previously worked as Senior Strategic Advisor, Digital Transformation Program, at Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MInT). Prior to joining MInT I worked at Orchid Business Group PLC as an ICT Diretor. Before joining Orchid I also working as a Director of ICT for Agricultural Services, Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA).